Waiting On My Wife With Anticipation And Excitement
At about half past four every day Jade comes home from a long day of school. (Jade is a student at Wake Forest University in the School of Medicine studying to be a Physician Assistant.) She parks her car in the lot in front of our condo and walks, with a large bookbag in tow with books on Pathophysiology, Psychopharmacology (and other 14 syllable words that only the Ancient Greeks can pronounce), toward the front door ready to relax, ready to drop the weight of the books by the doorstep and curl up on the couch to enjoy an episode of Gilmore Girls and a cat nap. But often, before she gets halfway between the parking lot and the front door I have already walked outside to meet her, with my arms wide open ready for a big bear hug and a kiss and to shoulder the weight of her bookbag while she makes her way inside the house.
Sometimes this type of anticipation is enchanting to my wife. It’s exactly what she desires after a long day of lectures, study groups, labs and tests.
Sometimes it’s just plain annoying to her because she just wants to come in, drop her books, and drop out of the universe in REM sleep for the next hour.
But for me, the excitement and anticipation I feel is equivalent to the way I feel as I’m waiting in line to purchase front row tickets to see my favorite musical artist….
or I feel like I’ve got an all-access pass to a meet and greet with some Hollywood celebrity…
IT’S MY WIFE!!!! And I am SOOOO EXCITED to see her each day!
I can feel that you’re ready for the mushy (slash) obsessive stuff to stop…so…
Let me make another honest assessment…
I was reading my Bible yesterday about a man named Simeon. His story can be found in the Book of Luke. Simeon had spent so much time worshipping God he was able to recognize the voice of God when it spoke to him. One time was he told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he passed away. And so each and every day Simeon ventured to the Temple area to worship God and to wait with anticipation, the arrival of the Messiah.
Check out the text here.
Can you imagine the sense of anticipation and excitement that would have filled Simeon after hearing this news!?! It would have registered off the charts!!!
Sometimes I think my words and actions are worth an A+ on the husband report card, but then I read Simeon’s exclamation to God upon seeing Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, and I’m just put to shame.
Read Simeon’s prayer:
“Now, Lord, you are allowing your servant to leave in peace as you promised. My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people to see. He is a light that will reveal salvation to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32 GWT)
I LOVE THIS PRAYER!!
So powerful!! So true!! It shows God’s sovereignty and faithfulness.
Can you imagine how Simeon must have felt as he held Jesus? I’m not exactly sure when the Holy Spirit spoke to Simeon. Or how long Simeon must have had to wait to see the new born King. But I can imagine that as he worshiped in the Temple area every day his eyes were pealed for a sign of God’s own Son. And the day Simeon saw Jesus he must have been overcome with laughter, tears of joy, and a smile so big that it makes your mouth hurt.
Yet, the love, and excitement, and anticipation, and anxiety Simeon felt waiting for the Messiah is NOTHING in comparison to the infinite amount of love, excitement, and anticipation our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus have as they desire to be with us yesterday, tomorrow, and right now!
What an incredible story!
As this Christmas season begins my prayer and desire is that we ALL will have a sense of anticipation, like Simeon, as we await Christmas day! But let us not focus our emotions and our time on materialistic possessions, instead, let us focus on the arrival of the Christ!
Jesus,
Open my eyes so you become more clearer than ever! Make me more aware of what it means to live my life with the expectation of the Advent. Life truly is an adventure, so help me to experience it fully this Christmas season.
